Beau Thai

Thai cuisine has come to Solihull, and in a setting that can only bring out the best in the impressions of those for whom Thai food is still a relatively new experience. The premises at Old Lode Lane are sumptuous in a way at which Far Eastern expertise is very adept. From details such as the cutlery, furnishings and décor to more weighty matters like the colourful costumes of the Thai staff to the precision of the food and service, everything is as it should be.

Colour is an important part of Thai culture, and its food is by no means excluded. Colourful dishes are carried graciously and expertly from kitchen to table, with starters of tom yang goom, King prawn soup with lemon juice, lemon grass and chillies, spare ribs with garlic and pepper, or a mixed plate of chicken satay, king prawns and pork spring roll.

Main courses include King prawns in red Masumaan curry with potatoes and coconut milk, squid with chillies and basil, crab claws in chilli bean oil with chillies and sweet basil, mouth-watering pork in red curry with bamboo, egg plant and coconut milk, or the old favourite of beef in oyster mushroom sauce with mushrooms, onions and chillies.

Thai food is strong on fish and if I had to choose between crab claws in chilli bean oil with chillies and sweet basil, or the mixed seafood in green curry with bamboo, egg plant and coconut milk it would be a very close run thing indeed. Conceivably, I might just find it necessary to have both.

Duck is very much a bird of Thai cooking and in its various manifestations at Beau Thai can only bring added delight to a cuisine that has really caught the imagination of British people in recent years, who tend to regard it, not without reason, as the sophisticated form of Far Eastern food.

Many people regard Thai cuisine as essentially hot and spicy, and indeed it can be so, but given that chillies provide the main source of fire, it is a fairly easily regulated medium. To assist your judgement at Beau Thai they provide a chilli rating on the menu item, ranging from tangy, through taste bud tingling to extra drink recommended, and this can be adjusted to suit your taste. Should you want to seriously increase the rating ask for a side dish of "prik nam pia", baby chillies in fish sauce that will spice you up no end.

Some find the process of selecting from a large menu a debilitating process, so for them Beau Thai have thoughtfully provided a series of set menus, from which we selected Royal Siam, with a choice of three starters including deep fried spare ribs or char grilled chicken satay, followed by a selection of five main courses, listing beef in red paenaeng curry with bamboo and coconut milk, and mixed vegetables with oyster mushroom sauce.

Thai desserts tend to follow the Indian pattern and are regarded as cooling and cleansing the palate. Likewise the bottled beers are excellent, though more and more people are appreciating decent wine with Thai food, in itself quite a compliment.

For further information as the new owners make their mark click on their Website.